The Press., 1887-08-25
LOCAL TOPICs-PENN,D AND sCIssORED.
THE HARWooD REUNION.


 The annual Harwood gathering was much enjoyed by about 70 of the family at Crystal Lake, on the 17th inst. The day was all that could be desired, and the num- Der present larger than last year. Several were present from Albany, N. Y. Mir. Or rin Harwood, of Stafford Springs, who is now 99 years of age, was unable to attend. As prayer was offered he was especially re- membered. After an excellent dinner the family were assembled, and timely remarks were made by MT. Lufer. MT. Abner Har- wood, and Mir. Chaffee. Prayer was offer ed by the resident pastor. It is worthy of especial mention that MT. Carlos E. Chaf- fee reclted very tenderly the beautiful lit tie poem, entitled "At Home" During the year only one Ca little child) has died. MT. denry Lufer, having faithfully served two years as chairman of the committee, declined a reelection, and MT. Clayton Harwood of Rockville, was chosen for that place. The other members of the con- mlttee are Mrs. Burpee of Waterbury and MT. Temple of Hampden. It was voted to hold the.next gathering the third Wednes- day in August, 1888, at Crystal Lake. x - -C. 1T. Hanson has recently became the owner by purchase of the Ballou farm, lying opposite his residence on Stafford, Street. The only building standing on the place was barn, Apparently in the last stages of dilapidation, but which has been restored by MT. Hanson and made into serviceable structure of good appearance, and few would mistrnst from its appear ance that it was one of the old landmarks of the town. It was originally built by Rev.~Mr. -BallOu, soon became a tavern, thegp present building, 42x36 feet insize, then having a good sized l. attached. For 8 long time Jasper Hyde, Stafford Streets old-tHme and well known Boniface, here welcomed the coming and speeded the parting guests, and daily mail coaches ,traversing between the great cities rolled up to a its doors, that entertainment" might be provided for "manl and beast" Weshaven't the date of the building of the old Ballou house, but it is now at least 75 years since Jasper Hyde built and occu- pied for hotel the house now owned by Lyman Cushman, and the glory departed from the old stand. Tradition says that Washington and Lafayette and many oth- CTS of great note have stood beneath the roof of the old Ballou house. lit was once the great center of the town, the place where gossip was retailed, and wonderful fishing and hunting stories told. The bold liars who then swung the rods over Square Pond and Mashapaug had no doubt as wonderful tales as the followers of to- day. And the former lads of Stafford, when they wanted rollicking season of pleasure and dissipation found it in a visit the ''street tavern,' where the exhilarating spectacle of the arrival of the great four in hand coach, under the guidance of the great man of those days-the stage driver was, to be had, or an evening spent in listening to the discussion of the affairs of the world, in glorification of the wonderful march of improvement in the decade of years just passed, mingled with scouts at the rumored dreams of some visionary, that carriages would ln time be propelled by steam faster than horse could run, or that people widely separated would con- municate with each other by some mysteri- ous process "quiek as lightning" Now the locality of the building is quiet Little dieturbs the stiffness of its neighborhood, save the ordinary noises of the barn-yard, and the old building makes very good sort of stable and repository of farm tools and products. F 2.